How to Change a Brake Caliper on a 1996 Acura

The disc brake calipers on a 1996 Acura feature internal hydraulic pistons that extend outward when the brake pedal is applied. This motion contacts the friction material of the brake pads to the flat surface of the brake rotors. Replacing the calipers is not a common repair unless the pistons are sticking or there is damage to the bleeder screws. The 1996 Acura uses front disc brakes but may also have rear disc brakes. Replacement calipers come with the pistons already compressed, so the only difference in procedure between the front and rear is attaching the parking brake assembly to the rear calipers.

Instructions

Set the Acura in gear or park on a level surface. Apply the parking brake if replacing a front caliper but do not apply the parking brake if replacing a rear caliper.

Place a wedge-shaped wheel brace behind one of the rear tires (for front caliper replacement) or in front of one of the front tires (for rear caliper replacement).

Loosen the wheel nuts on the tire with the faulty caliper using the wheel nut remover. Do not loosen the wheel nuts more than half a turn.

Lift the quarter panel of the Acura with the faulty caliper using a service jack. Raise the quarter panel up high enough to place a jack stand under the lift point located on the appropriate rocker panel and then lower the jack slowly to support the Acura onto the jack stand.

Remove the wheel nuts and tire assembly.

Clamp a brake hose crimp onto the hydraulic brake hose of the faulty caliper.

Remove the parking brake bracket retaining bolt with the ratchet and a metric socket (rear caliper only).

Place a drain catch pan beneath the caliper then remove the banjo bolt on the end of the brake hose from the caliper housing using a ratchet and a metric socket. Discard the copper washers on both sides of the banjo at the end of the brake hose. Align the drain pan, if necessary, to catch the slowly leaking brake fluid. The brake hose crimp will minimize the amount of fluid leaking from the brake hose.

Remove the upper and lower caliper bolts using the ratchet and a metric socket. Pry the caliper off of the caliper mount using a small angled pry tool.

Remove the brake hose plug from the replacement caliper and the replacement copper washers that come with it. Place the caliper over the brake pads, caliper mount and brake rotor.

Place one new copper washer onto the banjo bolt then insert the banjo bolt through the banjo of the brake hose. Place the remaining copper washer on the end of the bolt before hand-threading it into the caliper housing. Tighten the banjo bolt snug enough to squash/flatten the copper washers slightly but do not crush them. Remove the brake hose crimp.

Realign the upper and lower caliper bolts and hand-thread them into the caliper housing. Tighten the bolts snugly with the ratchet and metric socket.

Reattach the parking brake cable and retaining bracket bolt, then tighten the bolt with the ratchet and metric socket (rear brake caliper).

Loosen the bleeder screw on the replacement caliper with the ratchet and metric socket until brake fluid begins to drip into the catch pan. When there's a steady stream of fluid, close the bleeder screw and have an assistant get into the driver's seat of the Acura.

Check the brake fluid level in the master cylinder and top it off with DOT3 brake fluid then replace the cover.

Instruct your assistant to pump the brake pedal three or four times and then maintain downward pressure on the brake pedal. Loosen the bleeder screw to allow the air and fluid to purge from the bleeder screw until the brake pedal drops to the floorboard. Repeat this step until the brake pedal feels firm. Check the master cylinder after three or four bleeding sequences and top off with DOT3 brake fluid if necessary. Do not allow the master cylinder to run out of brake fluid or the suction cups could reverse internally and damage the cylinder.

Replace the tire and wheel nuts, then tighten the nuts in a crisscross pattern using the wheel nut remover until the tire and rim assembly are snug to the wheel hub. Lower the Acura quarter panel then torque the wheel nuts with the torque tool set at 80 ft.-lbs. and the metric socket, again, using a crisscross pattern.